Computer generated aircraft displays have become highly sophisticated and capable of displaying a substantial amount of flight management, navigation, and control information that gives flight crews more effective control of the aircraft and a reduction in workload. In this regard, electronic displays, such as Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) and Heads-Down Displays (HDDs), are used in aircraft as Primary Flight Displays to display important flight management, navigation, and control information to flight crews. For example, the Primary Flight Display can combine critical flight instrumentation (e.g., altitude, attitude, heading, airspeed, vertical speed instruments) and primary engine instrument indicators into a single, readily interpretable display.
Some Primary Flight Displays may provide a 3D, synthetic perspective view of the terrain surrounding the aircraft, including man-made and natural terrain. Examples include Synthetic Vision Systems (SVSs). These images are typically based on pre-loaded and predetermined terrain data from a database or real-time terrain data from a sensor system. Storing and processing large amounts of this terrain data may be difficult, especially at a level of detail desired for a synthetic display. At times, the terrain data may include detached objects such as power lines or bridges, and detached objects, such as buildings. However, conventional systems and methods may have trouble distinguishing and displaying detached objects relative to attached objects as real-time display images.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods with improved rendering of terrain data on a visual display, such as, for example, a Primary Flight Display, similar electronic aircraft displays, and other types of electronic displays. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.